DarKenD came to fruition in May of 2005 by Michael Terrell, Brandon Murphy, and former drummer Rantz Tussey (who departed in October 2008). Longtime fan, friend, and supporter Josh Stewart joined the group on bass in December 2006. Mike Reiter joined the band on drums 7 months after Rantz's departure in May 2009. This band set out with a purpose, and that purpose was and still is to be heavy, pure, original and to keep away from the trends that dilute the metal music that everyone loves. Not exactly the kind of band that you would expect to come from the small, bible belt infested town of Tuscumbia in north Alabama.but then again, it's EXACTLY what you would expect. The first promo c.d entitled 'Sounds Of Pain' was released in September 2005 which contained 5 tracks, 'Mental Homicide', 'God-Ridden Society', 'Sound Of Pain', 'The Crossing', and their crowd favorite remake of David Allan Coe's 'The Ride', which was rewritten as a tribute to Dimebag Darrell. You won't hear a local band like these guys in the Muscle Shoals area. This ain't your typical screaming, 1,000 miles per hour playing band. A very southern oriented mix of thrashy, grungey, 6 + minute songs of pure, original heavy metal is what you'll witness from these guys. The world stopped when Black Sabbath's self titled track 'Black Sabbath' hit the ears in 1970, the world was taken by storm in 1983 when 'Hit The Lights' of Metallica's debut album 'Kill'Em All' tore the souls of the unworthy, when the blistering guitar from Pantera's debut 'Cowboys From Hell' gave the world a taste of what's been missing in 1990. Nothing like that has happened since thenand this world is overdue for a change. These guys are in for the long haul
